Litany of failure

"Our conclusion in this case is that irrespective of the policies in force there was a systemic failure: appropriate referrals would not have taken place in any of the years 1999, 2003 and 2004 because the decision making process was in the hands of those not qualified or sufficiently experienced in child protection to make those decisions, specifically Lord Hope, [and child protection advisors] Ray Morris, Alan Roberts and Graham Cooper," the Report found.

Child protection advisor to the Archbishop of York, Ray Morris, who contributed to the 2002 York Diocese child protection policy and knew the church should not 'investigate itself', carried out an interview with Waddington about criminal allegations at Archbishop Hope's request.

Waddington continued conducting church services at York Minster until March 2003. He died in 2007 with his reputation intact.

In a historical survey of Waddington's career, the Inquiry found 17 people including some victim children, relatives of victim children and some church staff reported Waddington's crimes or suspicions of his crimes to church officials between 1956 and 2013.

None of these reports to church officials was ever referred to police.

Retired Manchester police officer Janet Ramsden gave evidence that she resigned from the York Diocese Child Protection Support Group because its child protection policies and practices in 2003-04 were so 'dangerous' and 'out of touch with reality'.

The former child protection investigator said her professional views were ignored and she 'felt it was untenable for myself to continue as a police officer and be part of some mismanagement of a case and hence I left the group'.

Several alleged victims of Waddington dating from the 1950s until the 1990s, and the aunt of one alleged victim who suicided in 1989, gave evidence to the Inquiry.

Judge Cahill said there had been no real opportunity for collusion between the witnesses and there was no information that led the Inquiry to doubt the truth of the accounts of the alleged victims. She suggested more victims may yet come forward following publication of her Report.

Former London choirboy, Ray Munn, who now lives in Australia, was a choirboy in the parish of Bethnal Green in the mid-1950s.

He told the Inquiry that he and another boy were abused between 1953 and 1956.

Allegations were reported by the other boy's father, to the vicar of St John's Bethnal Green which precipitated Waddington, a young curate, leaving by ship for Australia.